Centering-machine



2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

(No Model.)

L. E. WHITON.

OENTERING MACHINE.

Patented Nov. 24, 1896.

5140-1244 60? Munimfi mhlbow, 3&3 a

@Vitmemew (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2. L. E. WHITON.

GENTERING MACHINE.

Patented Nov. 24, 1896.

if %x3 (1H0;

UNITED STATES PATENT Fries.

LUCIUS E. WHITON, OF FElV LONDON, CONNEGTICU".

CENTERlNG-MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 571,817, dated November24, 1896.

Application filed January 19, 1895. Serial No. 535,568- (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Lucius E. WHITON, a citizen of the United States,residing in the cityand county of New London and State of Connecticut,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Centering-Machines, which improvements are fully set forth and described in thefollowing specification, reference being had to the accompanying twosheets of drawings.

On the 22d day of April, 1890, Letters Patent of the United Statesnumbered 426,347 were granted unto David E. lVhiton and myself forcertain improvements in drillingmachines, and my present invention is inthis same class of machinery, my improvements being specially applicableto conteringunachines, so called, and other machinery analogous thereto.Those presentimprovements relate particularly to the manner ofsupporting the work while being operated upon and to the construction ofcertain elements of such machinery, to the end that such elements may beassembled and properly adjusted more readily and with less labor thanhas been possible heretofore.

To assist in the explanation of my invention, the accompanying drawingshave been provided, in which-- Figure 1 is an elevation of acentering-niachine provided with the various improvements hereinafterdescribed and explained in detail. Fig. 2 is an enlarged plan view ofthe left-hand portion of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view ofthe machine-bed, taken on line as .r of Fig. 2, and shows mounted onsaid bed in elevation my improved work-supporting vise. Fig. l is a viewof said vise in vertical section. Fig. 5 is a plan view of said vise,showing the upper portion of its framework in horizontal sect-ion. Fig.6 is a vertical sectional view of a circular plate on which the vise ispivotally supported, said view being taken on line of Fig. 5. Fig. 7 isa view similar to the said Fig. 6. Fig. 8

to the drill.

of the bed of the machine is broken away to expose to view the meansprovided for the ready adjustment of said framework to bring the drillin proper alinement with the worksupporting vise. Fig. 9 is across-sectional view of the machine-bed, showing properly mountedthereon the drill spindle frame, also the adjusting gage pivotallysecured thereto, and the said means provided for the adjustment of thedrill-spindle frame. Fig. 10 illustrates the manner in which the Vise islocked at any desired point on the machinebed. Fig. 11 is a detachedview of the gage already referred to, and Fig. '12 is a longitudinalsectional view of the free end of said gage.

Machines of the class referred to consist, briefly described, of a bedportion a, upon which is properly mounted, near one end, a suitablehead-block or framework b, provided with bearings that support adrill-spindle c. Drill-spindle c bears one or more pulleys by means ofwhich the machine may be connected by belt with a suitablecounter-shaft. On machine-bed a at the left hand of the headblock, ashere shown) is also located some suitable device by means of which workto be drilled and centered is supported. This device is ad just-able onthe machine-bed either toward or away from the drill in order to bringthe work carried thereby into engagement or to carry the same out ofcontact with said drill.

It is my aim in this invention to provide a work-supportin g devicesuperior to those now in use, and to this end Ihave constructed theabove-referred-to vise, which forms an essential feature of thisinvention, and which, together with the said spindle-frame adjustment,gage, &c., helps to perfect this class of machiner Y and increase itsusefulness.

Referring again to the drawings, aindicates the bed of acentering-machine, and b a headblock located thereon, which supports insuitable bearings Z) a drill-spindle c. Spindle c is shown as providedwith a cone-pulley c. Said spindle is shown as provided at one end withthe usual operating'handle c and the opposite end thereto is properlyconstructed to receive and support a drill 0 d indicates mywork-supporting Vise as a whole, said vise being mounted over themachine-bed and capable of adjustment rela-.

tively to the drill a. Vise (Z, instead of being mounted directly uponthe machine-bed, is supported upon a circular plate 6 upon which latterthe said vise is centrally swiveled in a manner and for a purposehereinafter explained. Bed a is provided upon its upper side with tracksat, extending in the direction of and parallel to the length thereof.Circular plate a (supporting the vise (Z) rests on these ways a and whendesired may be moved thereon, plate 2 being provided on its under sidewith grooves suitable to coact with said ways. I shall describehereinaftermeans by which plate 6 may be locked to the ways a and thusbe prevented from movement on the bed a after adjustment.

Referring now particularly to the construction of the work-supportingvise, the refer once-letter (1 denotes a circular base-plate forming thelower portion thereof. \Vhen vise d is mounted upon plate 6, itsbase-plate (Z is swiveledto plate 6, as already, mentioned. Frombase-plate cl the main portion of the vise frame extends upwardly. Thisupwardly-extending portion is located at one side of the axial center ofthe base-plate d and serves to support the jaws of the vise, whichlatter are denoted by letters f and g. Each jaw f and g is provided witha rib extension, denoted, respectively, by letters f and g, conformingin shape to and fitted to slide in a dovetail groove d extendingvertically in the vise-frame (I, said extensions, when thus in position,serving also to maintain jaws f and g in vertical alinement.

The letter h denotes a right and left hand screw located in the rearportion of the dovetail groove and extending vertically therein, thesaid groove being properly chambered for the reception of said screw.The lower end of screw h is seated in the base-plate d", and the upperend thereof is supported in a suitable bearing (1", through which thescrew passes, and in order that it may be readily rotated a handle 7t issecured to its upper end. Screw 7L engages the inner faces of theextensions f and g, which latter are properly threaded to coact withsaid screw, and it will be readily understood that the rotation of thescrew h will cause extensions f and g to travel either toward or awayfrom each other, according to the direction of such rotation of thescrew. The screw 7t and the connected jawsfand y may be adjustedtogether vertically alimited distance by means of a threaded nut 72?,mounted upon the upper end of said screw. By properly rotating said nut(which rests upon the upper end of the bearing (1*) the screw 7i and itsconnected parts may be raised or lowered slightly, thus providing alimited vertical adjustment of the vise-jaws relatively to the drill.

The grasping or clamping portions of the jaws f and g are so shaped asto best hold the class of work for which it is desired to use themachine. As these machines are usually used for centering the ends ofround rods, 1 have here shown the confronting clamping portions of saidjaws as provided with V- shaped notches f and 9 respectively. Should thearticle to be clamped be placed between the jaws, as shown in Figs. atand 8, it will be seen by reference to said figures that the jaws whenbrought up againstthe said article will tightly grasp and hold the same.To permit jaws f and g to come suli ficiently close together to clamprods of very small diameter, the jaw fis made quite thin, and a centralvertically-extending opening to coact therewith is provided in the jawg. (See Figs. 1, 2, and 8.) WVith jaws f and 9 formed as described itwill be seen that through the proper rotation of screw 7L said jaws maybe so brought together as to completely close the openin g between them,thereby making it possible to clamp rods from the smallest diameter upto those of considerable size.

The preferred shape of jaws f and g and the man ner in which the sameare operated to clamp the work is best seen in Figs. 1, 3, 4-, and 8,and by reference to said figures it will be seen that that particularpart or end of the work to be centered by the drill a is in the samehorizontal plane as said drill; also, that the longitudinal center ofthe work is in vertical alinement with the swiveled center of the vise.

It is frequently desired to center each end of the work operated upon bythis class of machinery. To facilitate this operation, I have soconstructed the vise cl that (excepting in cases where the piece to becentered is of unusual length) each end of said piece may be in turnintroduced to the drill c". This feature avoids the necessity ofremoving the work from the vise after one end has been drilled and againclamping the same, in order that its other end may be similarly operatedupon. To make this possible, I have swiveled vise (1 upon itssupporting-plate c, as already mentioned. The location of the ways inwhich the vertically-movable jaws slide at one side of the axial centerof the base-plate (2 should be particularly noted. This arrangementlocates the supports for the jaws and their adjusting devices so farback from the holding portions of the jaws that much shorter rods may becentered than if horizon tally-movable jaws were provided and locatedone on either side of said axial center. This will be clearly understoodwhen it is remembered that plate d swings only half way around, and inthus swinging to present opposite ends of therod to the drill thesupports of the viset'. 6., the vise-frame, handle 0, &c.swing away fromsaid drill an d are never caused to pass between said axial center andthe drill. Referring particularly to the manner in which such swivelingis accomplished, the letter indicates a vertical rod which serves as anaxial center on which the vise d turns. Rod 7c passes downward throughthe Rod 71;

plate e and is tapped into said plate.

projects upward into the base-plate d, and to secure the latterpivotally thereto a head 76 is formed on the upper end of said rod.When. plates 0 and cl, together with rod 7c, are assembled in the mannerdescribed, it will be understood that by properly rotating the threadedred It said plates may be drawn tightly together or may be so adjustedthat the plate d may be freely turned upon the plate 6. hen such properadjustment has been attained, rod k may be secured against accidentalrotation by means of a set-screw 712 located in said plate. (See Fig.7.) The outer end of said screw projects radially from any convenientpoint of the circumferential edge of the plate c.

The manner in which vise d is turned upon its swivel-point is shown inFigs. 2 and 3, from which views it will be seen that by the use of thisfeature either end of a piece of work supported in the vise can bereadily presented to the drill in proper position to be operated upon bythe latter.

That portion of rod kprojecting downward from plate 9 forms an elementof a certain locking device provided for securing the vise againstaccidental displacement on its ways a, said locking device being fullydescribed hereinafter.

In connection with the feature of swiveling vise cl I have also providedmeans to prevent any vibration or partial revolution thereof on itspivot while the drill c is at work. The framework cl (in which is cutthe dovetail groove (i is provided in the lower portion of a radialextension (1 thereof with a verticallyextending chamber 222, withinwhich is located a bolt 91,- that is encircled by a spiral spring 12,confined between the enlarged head of said bolt and a shoulder 272- inthe chamber m, the tendency of said spring being to force said bolt '27,downward. The upper end of bolt n is formed as a rack, the teeth ofwhich are in meshing contact with those of a gearsegment 0, pivotallysecured at m within chamber 922, said segment 0 having anoperating-handle 0' extending outward from chamber 02:. By means of theoperating-handle 0' bolt n can be raised against the pressure of itsencircling spring n.

Plate 6 is provided on its upper face with two buffers 5, located withinthe circular path described by extension d of frame cl when the vise isrevolved on the pivot is, during which movement of the vise the bolt italso rides in a circular path upon the face of plate 6. Butlers e serveas stops to limit the rotation of vise (Z to an exact half-revolution,(see Fig. 2,) the lower portion of extension (Z coming into contactwithone of the said buffers c (or rather with the end of an adjusting-screw1), located in each of said buffers) at the completion of suchhalf'revolution in either direction. It should be noted in thisconnection that when extension cl is in contact with either of thescrews 17 the vise d is or should be in such alinement relatively to thedrill-spindle as to properly present to the drill any work clamped inand carried by said vise.

Plate 6 is provided with an oil-groove e concentric with rod 7r, withthe exception that said oil-groove crosses the path described by thebolt n directly in front of each buffer 6, said points of crossing beingdenoted in the drawings by letter 6 Groove e is made sufficiently largeand of proper shape at the points 6 to receive the lower end of bolt 42.The instant extension d comes into contact with the screw 1) of eitherbuffer the bolt n will at once snap downward into the space a of groove6 directly in front of said buffer, and, as a result, the complete visewill be locked in position for use, Figs. 2 and 6. When it is desired toagain turn the vise, the handle 0 is first properly operated to withdrawbolt n from the point e of groove 6 When said bolt is withdrawn, thevise is free to be swung a half-turn upon its pivot, at the completionof which lialf-turn'tlie extension (1? comes in contact with thescrew 1) of the opposite buffer and the bolt n snaps into the space eadjacent to said last-named buffer, thereby again locking the vise.

. It will now be readily seen that by means of screws 12 the buffers eneed not be accurately fitted, said screws being easily adjusted tocheck the rotation of vise (I at just the point desired.

That portion of the wall of groove c with which the bolt comes incontact when locked is preferably beveled somewhat, as at 6 Figs. 4, 5,and 6, to conform with the beveled end of the bolt it. As said bolt isforced downward by its spring its end wedges against said beveled walland thus serves to hold the vise rigidly and prevent all possibility ofvibn tion.

To secure disk 6 and its superimposedparts in any position on bed awithin the limits of the ways a", the following-described looking devicehas been provided: The lower end of rod passes downward into themachinebed through aslot- (12 in the top thereof, said slot being ofconsiderable length and extending in a direction parallel to the lengthof the machine. By reference to Figs. 3 and 10 it will be seen that nearthe lower end of said rod 7;, is hung a bar If, one of whose ends liesdirectly beneath and preferably in contact with a rod 3. Rod sisparallel to the slot a is of a length somewhat greater than the possibletravel of the carriage, and is suitably supported in bearings in themachine-bed. At one end of said machine (the left hand, as shown in thedrawings) said rod 3 extends through the end wall of the bed and bearsupon its outer end an operating-handle s. The circumferential surface ofrod 5 has a flattened portion extending throughout a considerable partof its length, and such flattened portion is shown in the said Figs. 3and 10 as being in contact with the bar 10 It will be apparent thatshould said rod 3 be rocked the IOO IIO

rounded portion of its surface will be brought as a cam into contactwith the bar k thus crowding downward said bar k (see dotted lines inFig. 10,) the latter drawing with it the rod is, causing the plate 6 tobind upon its ways and thus prevent accidental movement of the plate onsaid ways. When rod 8 is again rocked to bring its flattened portion incontact with the bar W, the strainis at once relieved on said rod 7:,leaving thcplate 0 again free to be moved.

From the manner in which plates 6 and cl, together with rod 75, areassembled (already fully explained) it will be apparent that anydownward strain of rod 7; to clamp the plate I; will in no wise affectthe plate cl to prevent the easy rotation of the latter.

I have already referred to an important improvement embodied in thisinvention relating to the manner of mounting the drillspindle frame I)upon the machine-bed, comprising certain means of adjustment forsaidframe. This improvement consist-s of securing frame I? to anintermediate plate a instead of directly to the machine-bed. Plate aconforms in shape to the top of the ma chine-bed and has formed 011 itsunder side a semicircular rib a A groove for the receptionof said rib isformed on the top central part of the machine-bed, and when rib a is inplace therein the plate a is capable of being rocked slightly on saidrib. It should be noted that that portion of the top of the machine-bedlying directly under the plate a is sufficiently depressed, so that whenthe plate a is in position said plate forms practically a continuationof the bed proper of the machine.

Plate a is secured to the machine-bed by means of screws a certain ofwhich pass up ward through openings in the top of the machine-bed andare tapped into the plate a and others simply extended upward throughthe top of said machine-bed to serve as gages or studs against which thebottom of plate a may abut and be clamped by the first-mentioned screws0. By reference to Figs. 8 and 9 it will be seen that plate a may berocked on its rib, as already described, and that when thus rocked theframe Z), mounted thereon, will be correspondinglymoved. The frame Z)may thus be rocked and adjusted until the drill-spindle c is in theproper position relatively to the vise d, and when such position isreached. it will be apparent that by properly manipulating the variousscrews (0 the plate a may be securely locked to the machine-bed a.

Vith the above-described manner of mounting the drill-spindle frame avery accurate adjustment of the same can be secured without thenecessity of finely fitting said frame and accurately mounting it uponthe machine-bed, thus avoiding considerable labor which otherwise wouldbe necessary.

Referenceletter i denotes a gage which I have provided in connectionwith this class started.

described.

of machines, by the use of which the work may be readily adjustedrelatively to the drill. Gage 6 consists of an arm pivotally secured atone end to the drill-spindle frame. (See Figs. 8 and 9.) The free end ofarm tis cup-shaped, as at t, and said arm is so pivoted that whenproperly rocked such cupshaped portion 6 may inclose the outer end ofthe drill-spindle and also the drill located therein, and when in thisposition the end wall of the cupped portion is in contact with andsupported by the end of the journal-bearing in which the drill-spindlerevolves.

When in use, gage t is first rocked to the position just mentioned, andthe vise (Z is then moved forward on its ways until the work carriedthereby comes in contact with said gage or preferably with anadjustingscrew t supported therein. The screw t is so adjusted in thecup portion 25 that when. the work abuts the same said work is then inproper position relatively to the drill to be operated upon by thelatter. Vise (Z is then looked in position, gage t'is rocked out of theway, and the machine is then ready to be Gage i is preferably providedwith stops 25 which, coacting with a stud u, located near the pivotalsupport of the gage, as shown, serve to limit the rocking of said gageand thus hold the same over in position for use.

In addition to the gage i an auxiliary gage or stop to may be provided,consisting simply of a screw supported in the frame 12 in the mannershown in Figs. 1, 8, and 9. This last-named gage is useful when it isdesired to regulate the position of the vise (Z upon the bed regardlessof the position of the work which said vise holds. lVhen it is desiredto use said screw-gage w, it is so adjusted as to engage with the vise dwhen the latter is moved into the position desired, such engagementpreventing further movement of the vise toward the drill and forming astop to which the vise may be adjusted.

lVhen it is desired to set the machine for centering both ends ofseveral pieces of the same length, one of said pieces is placed betweenthe jaws f and g and clamped loosely therein, the plate 6 and vise beingfor the time moved away from the drill. The piece to be drilledisadjusted until the center of its length is approximately over the centerof the pivot-bolt It. The vise is now moved to ward the drill until theend of the clamped piece abuts the gage '15. The vise is then revolvedto bring the opposite end of the piece into engagement with said gage,and if the two ends of the piece are found to be not equidistant fromthe center of the vise said piece is moved longitudinally a distancesufficient to make them so. The vise and the work clamped therein arethen adjusted on ways a" until the end of the piece again abuts the gaget, and said vise is then clamped in position bypartially rotating rod 5in the manner Having once properly adjusted the rise, any number ofpieces of a given length may be successively clamped and drilled. Tosimplify this application, I have shown a machine as fitted up with asingle drill-spindle. It will be readily seen, however, that the doubleform of spindle covered by the said earlier patent toDavid E. \Vhitonand myself could be as Well mounted upon the frame 1) Withoutinterfering in the least with the means provided for the readyadjustment of said frame already described, said double form of spindlebeing also equally operative with the form of work-supporting visedescribed in this present application.

My described improvements are not complicated. Neither are theyexpensive to produee and assemble: They add materially to theconvenience of adjusting and operating this class of machines and makeit possible to produce more work in a given time than has heretoforebeen possible.

Having described my invention, 1 claim-- 1. In combination with adrill-spindle,worksupporting mechanism revolubly mounted upon abase-plate having at opposite sides beveled offsets e", a bolt mountedin said wor supporting mechanism, adapted to engage the said offsets,and an adjustable stop in the path of a rad ially-projectin g part ofsaid work-supporting m eehanism, all substantially as specified.

2. In combination, a bed, a carriage nloun ted to slide thereon, awork-support revolnbly mounted on said carriage by means of a centralbolt extending through the base of the work-support and through the saidcarriage and bed, a cross-bar k on said bolt, and a rock-shaft withflattened circumference as set forth, engaging said cross-bar,substantially as and for the purpose specified.

8. In combination with a drill-spindle and its journal-bearing, astop-gage consisting of a hinged arm Whose free end is cupped and may beswung over said spindle, as set forth, one end Wall of said cup being inengagement with, and supported by, the said journal-bear ing when inuse, substantially as specified.

LUOIUS E. WHITON.

Vitnesses ALoNzo M. LUTHER, LILA D. PEALE.

